Nathaniel-de an-swift



(No Model.)

N. D. SWIFT.

TABLE TRAY. V No.'Z83',362- Patented Aug. 14, 1883.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOB:

my ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

TABLE-TRAY.

'SPEGIFiGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,362, dated August 14, 1883.

Application filed May 22, 1888. (No modeLl m .0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL DEAN SWIFT, of Petrolia, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Table-Trays, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of articles known as table-trays, used for preventing children from dropping food upon and soiling the table-cloth while eating at the table; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter fully set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of my new and improved table' tray. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, showing the tray attached to the table; and Fig. 3' is a sectionalielevation, showing a modified form of the tray.

A represents the metal portion of the tray, or tray proper, which, by preferenccfis made practically square with rounded corners, and is formed upon .three of its side edges with the narrow flange a. and upon the other or front side edge with a wide flange, which is concaved, as shown at c, forming the wide pieces all at at two of the corners of the tray, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

In the form of tray shown in Figs. 1 and 2 themetal portion A is fitted in the surrounding wooden frame 13, and is secured to or in the frame by the small nails or screws 6 e,

passing through the flanges of the metal portion down into the material of the frame and the bottom of the metal portion stands flush with the lower side of the wooden frame, so that both frame and tray will set flat upon the table, as will be understood from Fig. 2. The object of this wooden frame B is, first, to support the flanges of the metal portion A and the wider port-ions d d at the corners, so that they will not become bent and jammed by ordinary use, and, secondly, to stiffen and make the tray generally stronger and better.

lower ends of the irons,

In the form of tray shown in Fig. 3 the wooden frame B is dispensed with; but in this form of tray the clamp -irons O O are cast to fit the form of the front flange of the tray, and extend to the outer edge of the wide portions d cl, thus making the'wide corners of the tray strong, and capable of sustaining the weight of the childs arms.

The irons G 0, together with the thumbscrews ff, that turn in screw-taps made in the constitute the devices for clamping the tray upon the table, and the upper ends of the thumb-screws are provided with the revolving washers g g, for protecting the table from being marred by the thumbscrews when they are screwed up'against it for holding the tray on the table, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the form of tray shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the ironsG O are made to fit a flat surface, and are secured by suitable bolts, rivets, or screws to the under side of the wooden frame 13 at the wide corners d d, as will be understood from Fig. 2.

Constructed in this manner, the tray is made more efficient for its purpose and stronger and better than the trays in common use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a childs table-tray, the combination of the clamping device G G and the pan or tray proper, having at its upper edge a surrounding rim or flange provided with enlargements or arm-rests arranged on opposite sides of a concavity in said flange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The trayherein shown and described, consisting of the metal portion A, surrounding frame 13, and clamping devices 0 G, the tray being formed with the wide corners d d, substantially as described.

NATHANIEL DEAN SWIFT.

\Vitnesses:

EDWIN D. KER-BY, SHERMAN H. Swirr. 

